1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in replacing a circumferential segment of an esophagus. For example, this document relates to methods and materials that can be used to provide a tubular connection from one stump end of an esophagus to another stump end of the esophagus.
2. Background Information
Patients with esophageal cancer or high grade dysplasia may undergo an esophagectomy to remove of an entire cross-sectional segment of the patient's esophagus. In such cases, the patient's stomach may be elevated to close the created gap in the esophagus or a tubular replacement such as a colonic or small intestine segment may be used to bridge the created gap. Both options appear to result in limited success.